This invention relates to bottle openers and in particular openers suitable for removing twist-off caps. Although twist-off tops and caps have been known for quite some time in connection with various bottles and containers, up until recently they have not been used on glass bottles for such products as soft drinks and beer. Lately, however, with the development of new types of twist-off caps and bottle tops, caps that are intended to be removed by twisting have come into wide spread use. Some of these caps, particularly those designed for use on beer bottles, can be removed by either twisting or by prying them off with a standard bottle opener. A common difficulty with such caps, however, is that they can, at times, be difficult to remove with the use of only one's hand. Weaker persons and persons who must remove a large number of these twist-off caps often resort to the use of a cap removing tool of some sort.
A common problem with small metal bottle caps is that they are a nuisance to dispose of, particularly if one is rushed and is required to open a large number of bottles with these caps. Because the caps are small, made of metal, and can have sharp edges, they can also cause problems if left on the ground or on the floor. People in bare feet who accidently walk on such caps may be injured. Also a large number of caps littered on the ground can be quite unslightly.
Various device for removing twist-off caps are known in the opener art. These include simple metal grippers that can be used to clamp the sides of the cap prior to turning. These grippers may have serrated edges to permit the tool to grip the sides of the cap firmly. Ordinary pliers can also be used to remove twist-off caps if desired but pliers can be awkward to use for this purpose and may not be quick enough for the removal of a large number of bottle caps.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a bottle opener for bottles having twist-off caps, which opener comes with a container into which the caps pass after they have been removed from their bottles.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bottle opener for bottles having twist-off caps that can be constructed in an inexpensive manner using plastics material and that is easy to use.